College basketball rankings: Too early top 25 for 2024-25 season

There is no end to the college basketball season, as evidenced by teams accessing the transfer portal, where more than 1,000 names already reside, the day after Selection Sunday.

Roster construction is currently underway across the country, but it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2024-25 campaign.

With that in mind, let’s launch our first edition of FOX Sports’ too-early top 25 men’s college basketball rankings.

We’ll update this throughout the spring and summer as stories emerge, but let’s get to it!

1. University of Connecticut Huskies

We had the Huskies at No. 4 in our top 25 too early last April after Dan Hurley parted ways with Adama Sanogo, Andre Jackson and Jordan Hawkins. That didn’t seem to matter, which speaks to the blue blood Hurley has restored to Storrs. I won’t be fooled again. Connecticut is number one until further notice.

2. Duke blue devils

Say hello to the Cooper Flagg era at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The 17-year-old phenom is an intriguing prospect and aims to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft due to his versatility, defensive ability and size. The Blue Devils have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country with wings Isaiah Evans and Kon Knueppel, along with 6-foot-11 Patrick Ngongba also incoming.

3. Kansas Jayhawks

After a disappointing season by their standards, I expect the Jayhawks to bounce back and be in the top five next season. Bill Self has wasted little time, bringing in a pair of quality transfers: South Dakota State’s Zeke Mayo and Florida’s Riley Kugel. With Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams likely to return, the biggest question is simple: Will Hunter Dickinson return for one final season of college basketball? We will see. The freshman name to watch: five-star center Flory Bidunga.

4. Iowa State Cyclones

Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert are back for the Cyclones, who are coming off a 29-8 season and a Sweet 16. With a veteran defense intact, Milan Momcilovic projected to return and other potential offseason additions on the horizon, there are plenty familiar products with the TJ Otzelberger team in a world where there is uncertainty around many others.

5. Gonzaga Bulldogs

After a ninth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance and a strong finish to the 2023-24 campaign, Mark Few has good continuity on the roster heading into 2024-25. Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman can continue to carry the backcourt, and the Zags got another weapon to complement the perimeter with Pepperdine transfer Michael Ajayi (17.2 ppg, 9.9 rpg). Ben Gregg and Graham Ike lead the frontcourt, with a solid bench as well. The Zags are in very good shape.

6. Arizona Wildcats

The Wildcats have one of the best records in college basketball over the past three years, going 88-20 in the Tommy Lloyd era, but they have been as disappointing as anyone in the NCAA Tournament. How will they handle the move to the Big 12, where they will have to face the likes of Kansas, Houston, Iowa State and others in their league? Lloyd has the roster to be one of the best teams in the country with Kylan Boswell, Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis returning, along with a top-five recruiting class led by Carter Bryant and Joson Sanon.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

The Volunteers are in the top 10 because they have won at a high level in recent seasons and have familiar faces next year, starting with point guard Zakai Zeigler. I would expect us to see growth from Jordan Gainey and Jahmai Mashack, while the great Jonas Aidoo also returns. Dalton Knecht will likely move on to the NBA, but Tennessee will also have the assets to acquire help from the transfer portal.

8. houston cougars

There is no doubting Kelvin Sampson. He has gone 97-15 the last three seasons, took his program to the Big 12 this year and, after many thought there might be some growing pains, he led them to a regular-season championship. I think LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp are back, with Jamal Shead’s status up in the air. Houston will have enough continuity on its roster and Sampson will find good supplemental players in the portal to make it a top-10 team.

9. Purdue Boilermakers

The Boilermakers will be saying goodbye to an all-time college great and two-time national player of the year in Zach Edey, but when you have the level of talent and experience they have coming back, you’ll have a lot of it. better than many other lists across the country. Braden Smith is an All-American, Fletcher Loyer will continue to improve, Mason Gillis will return, Camden Heide is a top candidate and Matt Painter ushers in a top-15 recruiting class. The Boilers will move on.

10. Marquette Golden Eagles

It’s time for the Kam Jones Show to take center stage. Tyler Kolek was as good as any point guard in college basketball over the past two seasons, but as a result, he felt Jones didn’t get the attention he always deserved. Averaging more than 17 points per game last season, the rising senior will lead Shaka Smart’s program, which has won a combined 56 games over the past two years. Stalwart defender Stevie Mitchell will also return and look to David Joplin and Ben Gold to form a crafty, good and versatile frontcourt. Don’t forget about Chase Ross and what he could mean for this team, while Tre Norman and Zaide Lowery should take a second-year leap.

eleven. North Carolina Tar Heels
12. florida crocodiles
13. Baylor Bears
14. Alabama Crimson Tide
fifteen. chestnut tigers
sixteen. Creighton’s Jays
17. St. Mary’s Gaels
18. Miami Hurricanes
19. UCLA Bruins
twenty. Arkansas Razorbacks
twenty-one. BYU Cougars
22. Mississippi State Bulldogs
23. Maryland Turtles
24. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
25. Javier Mosqueteros

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead anchor on the BIG EAST Digital Network and providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @Juan_Fanta.

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